Bulletin

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NEW HAMPS,HIRE

AGRICULTURAL

Experiment Station

HANOVER N. H.,

BULLETIN NO. 8.

FEEDING EXPERIMENTS.

Part 1— Principles of Feeding.
Part 2 —Corn Meal, Middlings, Shorts and Cotton
Seed Compared.

IsTO'VEnyCBZBJB, 1889.

ORGANIZATION

OF THE

NEW HAMPSHIRE

AEriciltiral Exjerifflfint Station.

BOARD OF CONTROL:

Hon. Warren Brown, President,
Rev. S. C. Bartlett. LL.D.,
Prof. G. H. Whitcher, Secretary,
Hon. S. B. Whittemore, -
Hon. G. a. Wason,

Hampton Falls.

Hanover.

Hanover.

- Colebrook.

Nashua.

OFFICERS

G. H. Whitcher,

Director.

A. H. Wood,

- Supt. Dairy Dept.

H. H. Lamson, -

Microscopist and Photographer.

F. W. Morse,

Chemist.

C. L. Parsons, -

Asst. Chemist.

C. H. Pet TEE,

Meteorologist.

J. M. Fuller, -

Station Farmer.

C. W. Whitcher, -

Clerk.

FEEDING EXPERIMENTS.

PART I.

The object of this bulletin is to place in the hands of the New
Hampshire farmer, a brief statement of some of the experiments
made during the winter of 1888-9, for the purpose of determing the
the feeding value of various fodders and grains, in the produc-
tion of mirk and butter, and as the period of winter feeding
is at hand, I have thought best to give in condensed form, the
principles and laws which are at the bottom of successful, prac-
tical stock feeding showing how these laws find expression ia
which are called " Feeding Standard. ' The tables given are a
reprint of those in Bulletin N"o. 4 of this station ; Their use
though exceedingly simple, is, nevertheless a key to successful
practical feeding, and no farmer in the state who has stock to
feed can afford to neglect the teachings of these tables for by
their use the cost of production of milk, on an average, may, in
my opinion, be reduced one fifth from the present figures any
such estimate must be a matter of opinion but it is true in all
lines of manufacture that the substitution of exact, in place of
hap-hazard methods, of demonstrated laws instead of guesses, in-
variably reduces the cost of the manufactured article, and the
production of milk beef or pork is no exception to this.

Rational methods in stock feeding depend upon two things.
First, we must know what a given animal requires daily. Sec-
ond, we must have some means of knowing where and how to
get these materials in the right quantity and proportion. These
two requirements are satisfied by tables I and II.

WHAT THE TABLES ARE

Table I, called "Feeding Standards," tells us at a glance
how much digestible material is required d?i\\y for 1000 lbs. live
weisrht for the various animals under the several conditions
mentioned. This table originated in Germany and represents
the average of a great number of carefully conducted practical
tests in which the food was weighed, and samples of it analys-
ed and its digestibility determined. It is very reasonable to
suppose that these results are, in the main, reliable and accurate,

3

TABLE I. GERMAN "FEEDING STANDARDS."

1,000 lbs. of live weight required daily.

Digestibl(
Albuminoids,
lbs.

2 substances.
Non-albuminoids. Nutritive ratio.
lbs.

Oxen, at rest,

0.7

8.37

1:12

Oxen, moderately worked,

1.6

12.05

i: 7-5

Oxen, heavily worked,

2.4

14-45

i: 6

Oxen fattening,

3-0

16.55

i: 5-5

Cows, giving milk.

2-5

13-50

i: 5-4

Horses, light driving.

1.8

12.70

i: 7

Horses, heavily worked,

2.8

15-4

i: 5-5

Growing cattle,

2-5

15.0

i: 6

Sheep, for wool.

1.2

10.8

i: 9

Sheep, fattening.

3-0

16.45

i: 5-5

Swine, fattening.

4.0

24.0

i: 6

TABLE H. COMPOSITION OF "

FEEDING STUFFS.

>i

Herdsgrass, (timothy) hay

3-45

48.71

1:14

Redtop hay,

4-74

48.19

1:10

Mixed hay,

3-71

47.61

1:12.8

Mixed hay and clover.

4-85

46.40

1: 9-5

Salt marsh hay,

2.27

45-83

1:20

Clover hay.

7-53

43.60

i: 5-7

Vetch hay,

9.20

37-67

i: 4

Oat hay.

4.85

4483

l: 9.2

Winter rye hay,

10.3

51-7

i: 5

Millet hay.

4.67

45-43

l: 9.7

Rowen,

6.81

41.74

i: 6.1

Oat straw.

1-45

43-31

1:30

Bean vines.

5-00

.16.45

i: 7-3

Corn stover.

2.15

41.38

1:19

Ensilage, (northern corn),

1.47

14.80

I. -10

Ensilage, (southern corn),

1-3-

12.73

i: 9.6

Ensilage, (sweet corn).

1.84

14.92

i: 8

Pasture grass,

2-5

10.9

i: 4.4

Green rye,

2.00

12.87

i: 6.4

Potatoes,

1.42

17.70

1:12.4

Sugar beets.

'•5

7.81

1:6.5

Corn and cob meal.

7-13

66.52

1: 9-3

Corn meal.

7.78

71.60

i: 9.2

Barley meal.

9-54

65-95

i: 6.9

Oats, ground,

9.90

58.16

l: 5-9

Buckwheat, ground,

7-7

66.71

1:8.7

Linseed, (old process),

28.12

53-21

i: 1.9

Linseed, (new process),

28.57

44-30

i: 1.5

Cotton seed meal,

31-36

42.26

i: 1.3

Shorts,

13.26

52.70

i: 4

Middlings,

13-35

57-72

i: 4-3

Gluten,

25-14

61.90

i: 2.4

Brewers' grains, (wet)

4-73

16.22

i: 3-4

Malt sprouts,

18.36
4

52.18

i: 2.8

that variations from them are some times profitable is well known
and from the work that has been done in our own country it would
seem that the proportion of non- albuminoids (starch, sugar;
fat etc.,) to albuminoids might well be made less than the tables
. indicate,^ but the fact that we may depart in a small way from
these tables does not ih the least reduce their value tvs, guides to
good feeding.

The column headed digestible albuminoids includes that part
of the food which contains the nitrogen of the plant. It will
be noticed that the per cent of albuminoids vary greatly in dif-
ferent fodders. In dry fodders, oat straw has only 1.45 pounds
in a hundred while cottonseed meal has 31.36. Hay and the
dry fodders commonly found on the farm have about 5% of di-
gestible albuminoids while the grains and concentrated feeding
stuffs run from 7 to 35%. It must be remembered that this
part of the food is very valuable, for the muscle of the growing
animal, the casein or curd of the milk, wool, feathers, hair, etc.,
must be formed from the albuminoids of the food. Neither
starch, sugar nor oil can be converted into muscle or casein
by the animal. It is also believed that the fat in the milk or
the other fat in the body comes quite largely from the albumi-
noids, but fat may also come from the starch, sugar, and oil of
the food. The column marked "digestible non-albuminoids"
includes the starch, sugar, and fiber, plus the fat, multiplied by
2^, for it is assumed that one pound of fat is equal in nutritive
value to zy^ pounds of starch, by this arrangement we get the.
whole of the nutritive matter of the food grouped in two parts.
The third column shows the ratio of nou-albuminoids to albumi-
noids for example corn meal has 7.78% of albuminoids and
71.6% of non-albuminoids the " nutritive ratio " is i : 9.2 which
is the same as saying that for every pound of the former, there
are 9.2 pounds of starch, sugar, and fat (non-albuminoids).

In these tables then we have the means of finding the
amount of nutritive matter require daily by any animal; the
live weight of any animal being known we have only to look in
table 1, and find the corresponding kind of animal, the table
will show what would be required if the live weight vere loos
lbs., from this we find the amount necessary for any weight by
multiplying that necessary for 1000 by the weight under con-
sideration and remove the decimal point three places to ihe left.
Example : Given a cow weighing 1 185 pounds, and prodacing milk

5

what amount of albuminoids and non-albuminoids will be re-
quired daily ? Table I, shows that cows giving milk require 2.5
lbs., of albuminoids and 13.5 lbs., of non albuminoids daily
per looo lbs., 2.5 X 1^85=: 2962.5 remove point three places to
the left = 2.96 lbs., of albuminoids required. 13.5 X 1185 =
15997.5 remove point three places^ iS-99 lbs., non-albuminoids
required. The same rule applied under any condition or for
any weight will give " amount required."

The second step is to select from table II such fodders
and grains as will give this amount, here is where the skill of
the feeder is required in selecting a suitable variety. If hay is
the foundation use i >^ % of the live weight of the animal of
hay, that is for a loao lb., animal use about 15 lbs., of hay, and
in addition to this 1% or 10 lbs., of any coarse fodder like corn
stover (corn stalks from which ears have baen husked) well cur-
ed straw, rye cut for fodder, millet, or bean vines.

Where Ensilage is to be fed, take 5% of the live weight of
the animal of Ensilage that is for a looo lb., animal, 50 lbs.,
and add to this ^ % or 5 lbs,, of coarse fodder, these two com-
binations may be regarded as foundations to which the grain
ration is to be fitted. Our coarse fodders, hay and ensilage, all
with two or three exceptions, contain much too large a percent-
age of non-albuminoids to meet the requirements of cows.
Oat straw has 30 lbs., of digestible non albuminoids to
I of albuminoids, (see third column table II) cornfodder has a
" nutritive ratio " of 19' bog meadow, or swale hay 20. Hedrsgrass
14, red top 10, millet 9.7 etc., now from table I, we see, leaving
out animals standing idle, that our different domesticated ani-
mals require from 5.4 to 9 pounds of non albuminoids to i of al-
buminoids, here is where the tables show us the deficiency of
such fodders ; To make good this deficiency we must look for
soms mxteriil th it his an excess of the albmninoUs ; running
down column three in table II, linseed, cotton seed, shorts*
middlings and gluten are seen to have nutritive ratios as follows
respectively, 1.5, 1.3, 4, 4.3, 2.4 now here are a class of foods as
much too rich in the muscle producing par^ of the food as the
coarse fodders and hay are too poor hence a judicious mixture
of one set with the other will correct the deficiencies of each
but how shall we know the proportion in which to mix them.
We have seen that a cow weighing 1000 lbs. giving milk requires
daily the following :

6

Digestible Albuminoids, 2.50 lbs.,

Digestible Non-albuminoids, ^3-5° lbs..

We will next see what our two "foundations " furnish, from
Table II it is easily figured that :

15 lbs., mixed hay and clover, furnish,
10 bs corn stover, furnish,

Total furnished,
Total required,

Deficiency to come from grain, 1.72 2.22

The following will give a ration near enough to the standard.
Cottonseed 4 lbs., = 3 qts., = 1.26 1.68

Shorts, 2 lbs., =^ 3 qts., = .26 1.04

Di

Albuminoids,
lbs.

gestibli
. Non-;

e.

albuminoids,
lbs.

.56

7.14

.22

4.14

• -78

11.28

2.50

13-50

Middlings,

I lb.

I qt..

-

I

13

•65

•57
3-29

Putting

this

ration together we

get

the following :

lbs.

qts.

Albuminoids

Non-albuminoids

Hay,

15

56

7.14

Corn stover.

ID

22

4.14

Cottonseed,

4

2%

1.26

1.68

Shorts,

2

3

.26

1.04

Middlings,

T

I

•13

■57

7 61^ 2.43 14.57

Required by standard, 2.50 ^3-5o

This ration has a nutritive ratio of i : 6 which is as narrow
as we can afford to go.

Our second " foundation " figures as follows :

lbs.

qts.

Albi

iminoids.

Non-albuminoids.

Ensilage,

50

•74

7.40

Millet,

5

•23

2.27

Gluten,

2

3

•75

i.8s

Middlings,

4

5y2

•54

2.30

Shorts,

I

1)4

•13

•52

2.39 14-34

Computing and balancing rations by the aid of the tables

requires nothing but simple arithmetical calculations, which any

feeder in the state can make if he will and while many will find

that by years of observation in the barn they have hit upon

7

rations which the use of these tables cannot better, yet the prob-
ability is that three-fourths would find by a very few minutes of
figuring that they have been feeding too much of the non-al-
buminoids, in many cases the nutritive ratio is as wide as 1:12.
As a rule we are too liberal in our use of corn meal which in
itself is lacking in albuminoids, but which is too often fed with
foods much more deficient in this same direction.

If the foundation of our rations for milk was clover hay, then
we might well depend upon corn meal for our grain ration, but
with fodders whose nutritive ratio is from 10 to 20, that is, has
10 to 20 times as much digestible starch, sugar, fat etc., as of
albuminoids, it is poor economy to buy corn meal when there
are so many kinds of fodders in the market, like cotton seed,
gluten, linseed, middlings and shorts, which are rich in just
those parts in which the hay, ensilage, corn fodder, etc., are lack-
ing. If the farmers of this state would buy less corn meal and
more of the foods above mentioned a considerable saving might
be brought about in the cost of the ration, for the reason that
with these foods much of the straw, swale hay and other coarse
fodders might be substituted in place of the English hay which
it is now necessary to feed. By way of illustrating this I will
give two rations, which will show the force of what has been said

No. I.

lbs. qts. Albuminoids Non-albuminoids.

Mixed hay, 25 .93 11.9

Corn meal, 6 8 .48 4.2

Required by German standard.

No
Mixed hay, 10

Swale hay, 10

Cotton seed, 4

Shorts, 2

Middlings, 3

Furnished, 2.51 13-79

Required by German standard, 2.50 ^3-5°

If we call the average value of market hay in New Hampshire
$15, per ton Swale hay $8. Cottonseed $25, Corn meal $20, Mid-
dlings ^22, and Shorts $20 ration No. 1, will cost 25 cents while
No. 2 will cost 22 cents, now it will be seen at once that No, a

8

1. 41

16.1

2.50

13-5

). 2.

•37

4.76

,22

4-58

3

1.26

1.68

3

.26

1.04

^%

.40

1-73

furnishes a full ration, with the parts well proportioned for milk
production while No. i is lacking in albuminoids by more than
one pound but has an excess of non-albuminoids, the nutritive
ratio of No. i is i : 11.4 while No. 2 is i :5.5. It is evident
that the second ration is much better adapted for milk produc-
tion than the first and would undoubtedly giv^e a better yield.

I would call the attention of our stock feeders, to the one
point oi feeding well proportioned or ^'■balanced'" rations, and in
this connection, would suggest that the " feeding standards " and
table of " Feeding stuffs " are guides which if followed will give
this suitable proportion of parts in the rations we feed our stock,
now if any one is already feeding such a ration the satisfaction
of knowing this will amply repay the little trouble there is in cal-
culating the exact amount of nutritive matter fed ; if, on the other
hand (.he present practice does not, within reasonable limits, cor-
respond with the German standards, then no harm can come from
modifying the grain or fodder and noting whether there is actual-
ly any increase of product or decrease of cost for it is by this
measure of dollars and cents that we must finally prove that one
ration is better than another.

I have intimated that some variation from the German
standard is even desirable in our practice and I am of the opin-
ion that if we get the ''nutritive ratio" anywhere between 6
and 7 we shall still have a well balanced ration.

PART II.

CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF MATERIALS .USED IN FEEDING EXPERI-
MENTS, WINTER OF 1888-89.

These analyses were made by Mr. F. W. Morse, now Sta"
tion Chemist. The grains were bought in local markets and the
hay was raised on the Station farm.

The analyses show the per cent of water, dry substance, ash,
crude protein, nitrogen free-extract, (including starch, sugar etc.,)
ether extract, or crude fat, and crude fiber; the column showing
this is headed " % in original substance." The next column
shows the same computed as per cents of the dry substance in-
stead of the original substance next comes per cent of digestible
matter in the original substance, this is dervied from the total
composition by taking the average digestibility of similiar foods
as given by Goessman and others.* This column shows just how

♦Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station, Annual Report 1887.

9

much useful material there is in each substance, for it is the di-
gestible part of the food that determines its value for feeding

TABLE III. EARLY CUT HAY. (Cut July lo, 1888.)

Total
composition.

Amount
digestible
in original
substance.

1

Digestible.

Nutritive
ratio.

Original

sub-
stance.

Dry sub-
stance

Albu-
minoids.

Non-

albu-

minoids.

Moisture at 212",
Dry substance.

Crude asli.
Crude protein.
Nitrogen free extract,
Crude fiber.
Ether extract,

12. 10

87.90

3-59

7-19

49.14

25-70

2.28

4.09

8.; 8
55-90
29.24

2-59

4.10

30-95

14.90

1.04

4 to

4S 4:5

1:11.8

LATE CUT HAY. (Cut July 31, 1888.)

Moisture at 212',
Dry substance,

Cruds ash.
Crude protein,
Nitroge n free extract.
Crud' fiber,
Ether extract.

Moisture at 212"
Dry substance,
Crude ash.
Crude protein.
Nitrogen free extract,
Crud- fiber,
Ether extract,

8.63

91-37

4 34

4-75

7.<8

7-75

4.04

4.04

50.34

CO. 83

55-63

32.02 1

26.56

29-07

S 15-4- 1

2.56

2. 80

i 1. 17

CORN MEAL.

MIDDLINGS.

1:12.4

13.90
86.10

1

1.50

10. 17

68. 37
1. 81

II. 81

79.40

2. 10

8.64

64.26

.61

i

8.64

73.i>4

4.25

4.94

3-23

1: 8.4

Moisture at 2 12",
Dry substance.

Crude ash.
Crude protein.
Nitrogen free extract,
Crude fiber.
Ether extract.

12.47
87-53

3 33
19.96

57-'7
389
3-.8

3.8<
22. .'-1

65-30
4-45
3-63

17.56

45-73

-78

2.54

17.56

62.86

1: 3

Moisture at 212°,
Dry substance,

Ash,

Crude protein,

Nitrogen free extract.

Crude fiber.

Ether extract.

SHORTS.

Moisture as 212°,
Drysubstauce,

Crude ash.
Crude protein,
Nitrog-n free extract,
Crude fiber.
Ether extract.

12.29

87-7'
6.21
17.85

49-9;
9.21

4-47

7.08
20.35
5'''- 97
10.50

S.IO

■ 15-7I

, 39-97

i.8j

3-57

15.7t

50.74

1: 3 9

COTTON SEED MEAL.

Moisture at 212",
Dry substance.

Pure ash.
Crude protein.
Nitrogen free extract,
Cru.-ie fiber.
Ether extract.

8.86
91.14

5-8.

46.32

2!.'-xS

6.38

8.95

6.39
50.82

25 97
7.00
9.82

34-27

10 89

1.46

8.14

1

1

34.27

32 70 1

1: .9

GLUTEN.

10.52
89.48

.70
29.70
54.90

.81
3-37

33-20

61 34

.91

3-77

25 24

51 60

.21

2.56

25 24

58.21

1: 2 3

10

Dia;estibl(
Ibuniiiioids

4.10

e Substance
Non-albuminoids

48.45

Nutritive Ratio.

I : 11.8

4.04

8.64

17-56

50-34
72.94

52.86

I : 12.4
I : 8.4
i: 3.0

15-71

5074

I : 3.2

34-27

32-70 ,

I : 0.9

25.24

58.21

I : 2.3

purposes; The next column gives this same digestible matter
grouped into albuminoids, and non albuminoids. The early
and late cut hay were nearly clear Timothy or Herdsgrass the
former cut July 10 just as it was going out of bloom the latter
cut July 31, the seed being well filled but not hard; it must be
remembered that the season of '8S was very wet and grass was
from 8 to todays behind its ordinary time of blooming and
maturity.

It will be noticed that these analyses vary in some cases
from those of similiar foods in'table II but the variations are
not very wide. The following table shows in condensed form
the analyses above given in detail.

Early cut hay (Timothy),

Late cut hay (Timothy),

Corn meal.

Middlings,

Shorts,

Cotton seed meal,

Gluten,

Table IV gives the full details of an experiment comparing
corn meal, cotton seed meal, and shorts. The rations in each
case were richer in albuminoids than is believed to be nee
essary, but it will be noticed that those in which ccrn meal is
used are in strict accord with the " German Standards," and
that the substitution of cotton seed for corn meal reduced the
ratio from 5.5 to 4.5 on an average, which is a very narrow ra-
tio. The object of this experiment was to determine, if possible,
whether an increase in albuminoids would increase the yield of
milk. Table IV shows the number of the period and the num-
ber of days in each period, as well as the dates. The name of
the cow and her breed is given in the left hand column, next
comes the kind of food used in the ration, and in the third col-
umn the amount of each substance fed daily, together with the
nutritive ratio of the food, while at the bottom of this column is
the amount of milk produced per period and per day ; the fourth,
fifth and sixth columns are repetitions of the third, except that
changes from corn meal to cotton seed, and the reverse, occur;
next comes the total milk for each cow for the whole time she
was in the experiment, followed by two colums dividing this to-
tal into two parts, one produced while corn meal was fed, the

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13

other while cottoti seed ^fia-s in the ration; the last two columns
show the gain of milk occasioned by changing from one grain to
the other. When the corn meal gives the greatest yield the ex-
cess is put in column marked " corn meal," and when cotton seed
meal gives best results the gain is found in the column headed
" cotton seed meal."

These five cows, when on corn meal, produced daily 108.55
pounds of milk, and when on cotton seed 110.74, again of 2.19.
pounds, which is .44 of a pound per cow per day. This is too
small an amount to be of any great value in getting at the relative
efficiency of the two rations, but it will be noticed that in only
one case is there an excess on the corn meal side, while in two
cases there is practically no difference, the two remaining cows
showing a very substantial increase due to the cotton seed.

There is another point which should be considered, though
no definite correction can be applied. In four cases the corn
preceded the cotton seed, and in one case (that of Maramee) the
cotton seed came first, and as all of the cows were naturally shrink-
ing in milk yield, it follows, that in four cases the cotton seed is
shown at a disadvantage equal to this shrinkage, while in one
case the corn meal loses in the same way. Northboro Belle un-
questionably did better on the corn meal than on the cotton
seed, while Maramee and Gleam gave evidence just the opposite.

The total digestible matter, that is, the sum of the Albumin-
oids and non- albuminoids, is somewhat less in the cotton seed
than in the corn meal ration ; the average for the five cows is
18.81 pounds daily with cotton seed, and 19.10 pounds with corn
meal, but it is also true that as the market averages the cotton
seed ration costs about three mills more per day than the other.
Taking all the facts as they stand, the following conclusions
seem warranted :

First. Narrowing the nutritive ratio from the German
standard of 5.4 to 4.5 does not niateriaUy increase the amount
of milk.

Second. It appears that under the conditions of the exper-
iment, a pound of digestible matter was slightly more efficient in
the narrow than in the wide ration.

Third. We must not lose sight of the fact that the manure
from the cotton seed ration must have been more valuable, for
the reason that corn meal contains only one-half as much phos-
phoric acid, one-third as much potash, and one-third as much

14

nitrogen, as does cotton seed meal. I'his becomes an important
matter when we consider the field work as well as our feeding.

CORN MEAL COMPARED WITH SHORTS.

From this table it is seen that the two cows produced daily,
when on the corn meal ration, 28.28 pounds, and on the shorts,
27.60 pounds, a gain of .68 of a pound in favor of corn meal, or
.34 of a pound for each cow. The dry matter in the rations is
sligh'ly less with the shorts than with the other, while the cost
of the ration is the same. In this experiment the cow Pink was
giving a very uniform quantity of milk and had been shrinking
very little for two months, while Princess Leto was so fed that
the shrinkage, provided it was uniform from period to period,
would not work to the disadvantage of either ration ; it is proba-
ble, therefore, that the shorts were actually of less feeding value
than the meal.

TABLE V.

PART I.

PART 2.

*9'.

10

II

16

17

ti8

Dec. 24

Jan. 14

Jan. 28

Apr 8

Apr. 22.

May 6

to

to

to

to

to

to

Jan. 14.
25

Jan. 28.

Feb. II.

Apr. 22.

May 6.

May 13.

'Early hay,

25

25

J m

• --^

Ensilage,

5°

50

50

CP

Corn Meal,

2

2

2

2

2

2

Middlings,

2

2

2

Shorts,

2

3

2

&a

Gluten,

3

3

3

3

3

3

587-03

387-27

379-07

332-25

326.09

161.31

.

27-<35

27.66

27.08

23-73

23. 2q

23.07

♦Period 9 was of 21 days instead of 14. tPeriod 18 was for 7 days instead of 14.

The experiment recorded in table V must be divided into two
parts, as there was an interval of four periods devoted to other
work with the same cow.

Part I, 21 days on shorts, the yield was 587.03, or 27.95 daily.
Part I, 28 " middlings, " 766.34, or 27.37 "

Daily e.xcess in favor of shorts, .58

Part 2, 14 days on middlings, the yield was 332,25, or 23.73 daily.
Part 2, 21 " shorts, " 487.60, or 23.22 "

Daily excess in favor of middlings.
Or averaging the two parts, the middlings gave

The shorts gave

•51

25-55
25-58

Shorts,

Middli

The composition of the two rations was :

Non-Albu-
minoid.>.

16.58
16.61

Albu-
minoids.

Part I,

2.27
2.30

15

Total.
18.85
I8.9 I

Nutritive
ratio.

I : 7-3
I : 7.2

Albu- Non-Albu- Total Nulritlve

minoids. minoids. ratio

Shorts, {.part2 ^'9^ "-^^ ^3-6o i : 5-9

Middlings, f ' 2.02 11-65 13-67 i : 5.7

This experiment shows, Hke the other, that a change of
grain, so long as there is no wide departure in the digestible
matter, does not materially affect the results, and as the above
rations were compounded, the shorts are as effective as the mid-
dlings, but the cost is less by about one-cent daily with the
shorts.

GLUTEN COMPARED WITH MIDDLINGS.

A single experiment with gluten and 7JiiddUngs resulted as
follows :

Nora

2ND.

(Durham.)

Late cut hay,

20

20

Cured oats.

-

5

5

Corn meal,

2

2

Middlings,

2

Gluten,

2>^

Shorts,

2

2

Milk per day.

25-59

27.62

Dry matter in ration,

17.71

18.07

Nutritive ratio,

I : 8.4

I : 7.7

In this case there is an unmistakable gain in favor of the
gluten meal. The amount used was such that the cost of the
rations was identical.

GLUTEN COMPARED WITH SHORTS.

Countess Gazelle. (Jersey.)

nay.

20

20

Corn meal.

2

2

Shorts,

2

Gluten,

2

Z%

Milk per day.

18.71

19.47

Dry matter in ration,

'5-49

15-41

Nutritive ratio.

I : 7.6

I : 7.2

As in the last case the cost of these two rations is the same,
but it will be seen that the gluten is the more efficient, and this,
too, against the natural shrinkage of the yield, for in each case
the gluten was fed last.

The change in nutritive ratio is not great, but it will be no-
ticed that the results, so far as they go, would seem to indicate

16 '

that the middlings and shorts rations, with a ratio of 8.4 and
7.6, respectively, were too wide, and that narrowing them to 7.7
and 7.2, though not a great change, is, nevertheless, one that
has resulted in a considerable increase of milk, and we may well
ask the question whether we can afford to go beyond 7 as the
widest limit. I am inclined to think that we cannot.

In conclusion, then, the following conclusions may be drawn :

First. That with rations, whose nutritive ratio is below
I : 7, it makes very little difference whether we use cotton seed,
shorts, middlings or corn meal, so far as milk is concerned, but
if we consider the value of the manure the grains will be valued
in the order in which they stand.

Secotid. When the nutritive ratio is wider than i : 7.5 a
substantial gain may be expected by substituting some grain
that will narrow this ration.

Third. A nutritive ration of i : 7 is as wide as we can
profitably use.

I am convinced from these, and other experiments, that
the proportion and amount of digestible constituents in the ra-
tion is of more importance than the source of these constituents,
and that the cost of the grain must be the factor that will influ-
ence the feeder.

Once more let me urge every farmer to note what he is feed-
ing, both in kind and amount, and then from table II compute-
the digestible nutritive matter consumed daily and compare this
with table I. If it is found that the ratio of non albuminoids to
albuminoids is very wide, that is, over 7.5, then a few easily
made experiments, in which either cotton seed, gluten, mid-
dlings or shorts is substituted for corn meal, will enable any one
to determine whether a closer following of the German " stand-
ards'" will be profitable. There can be no loss result from test-
ing this important matter, and valuable information may be ob-
tained.

G. H. WHITCHER, Director.

The Bulletins of this Station are free to all farmers in the State who send
a request for them to the Director.

17

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